The Shield (2002–2008)

TV Series  -   -  Crime | Drama | Thriller
8.5
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The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren't above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their ... See full summary »

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Title: The Shield (2002–2008)

The Shield (2002–2008) on IMDb 8.5/10

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Season:

7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Year:

2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002
Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 12 wins & 41 nominations. See more awards »
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Cast

Series cast summary:
...
 Detective Vic Mackey (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Officer Danni Sofer (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Detective Shane Vendrell (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Officer Julien Lowe (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Detective Holland Wagenbach (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Captain David Aceveda (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Detective Claudette Wyms (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Corrine Mackey (83 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Detective Ronnie Gardocki (82 episodes, 2002-2008)
...
 Detective Curtis Lemansky (66 episodes, 2002-2007)
...
 Detective Steve Billings (42 episodes, 2005-2008)
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Storyline

The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren't above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their self-interests intact. Written by <jgp3553@yahoo.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Conscience is a killer See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Certificate:

TV-MA | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

| |  »

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

12 March 2002 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Rampart  »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the original pitch of the series to FX, the members of the Strike Team were supposed to be background characters and that the character of Vic Mackey would mainly interact with the other characters. However, after casting David Rees Snell and Kenny Johnson as members of the Strike Team, it was decided to make the Strike Team members a regular part of the series. See more »

Quotes

[Kavanaugh offers Aceveda some gum]
David Aceveda: No, thank you.
Lt. Tom Kavanaugh: Come on, this is a fresh pack - it's Juicy Fruit.
David Aceveda: [pause] I said no - thank you.
Lt. Tom Kavanaugh: You hold it out long enough, some people feel compelled to take the gum. It's a sign they'll crack under pressure.
David Aceveda: I know.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Sons of Anarchy: Pilot (2008) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Possibly my favorite drama ever
6 October 2010 | by (Pittsburgh, PA) – See all my reviews

I hate giving 10's because nothing is perfect, but a 9 doesn't do it justice. There have been a lot of 9's over the years but this show is even better than those.

Over 7 seasons The Shield consistently provides an incredibly diverse group of characters and more intrigue than most TV has ever provided. The web Vic and his team weaves is always winding in all sorts of directions and is often on the verge of breaking. Vic and the rest of the strike team use their authority and cunning to untangle it as best they can, almost always using tactics that are ethically questionable at best.

The whole thing really gets you sucked in and you're always torn because rooting for Vic is easy, facing what he really is is not. What's right and what's wrong? When do the lines begin to blur? It's not always clear, but it's incredibly entertaining to watch.

The other thing I really love about the show is how there's always another separate case being pursued by Dutch Waggenbach and company. It keeps each episode going in different directions and the case is always interesting or has an unexpected twist when it's resolved. I think another thing that separates this show from all the others is that you get your murder/rape case that you get everywhere else, but that only compiles about 30% of each episode and the rest is even better than that. Shows like CSI and Law & Order can't even touch the content this show brings, and I haven't even mentioned the gritty, realistic style it's shot and written in. Absolutely unique and done believably and well. The finale? It's as good as you're ever going to get.

It really is a stellar show. I would say there was perhaps one season I thought was only above average (not exactly a strike against it) but the rest was a thrill ride that was so gripping I don't know if there's more than a handful of other shows that have ever matched it in that capacity. You're always in for a surprise when you watch it and the characters grow on you, some of them whether you want them to or not. Recommended as highly as possible.


50 of 52 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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Just Started Watching. wayneleeg
which is the best season? jorgeandres0629-1
Did the strike team really deserve it? mub6
When Dutch kills depaul_rules
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Lem's thoughts in his final moments? IndianaBat
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